Ari Aster shocks Cannes with dystopian dive into COVID-era America
Ari Aster’s COVID-era film, “Eddington,” which explores a 2020 America rapidly losing its mind due to conspiracy theories, TikTok, and political extremism, premiered with considerable difficulty at the Cannes Film Festival, according to the AP.
“Eddington,” starring Joaquin Phoenix as a bumbling and mistake-prone sheriff running for mayor in a fictional New Mexico town, was among the most eagerly anticipated American films at Cannes, CE Report quotes ATA.
This marks Aster’s first time competing at the French festival. He is the acclaimed director of “Hereditary,” “Midsommar,” and “Beau Is Afraid.”
It is also his most politically ambitious film.
“Eddington” delves into the American pandemic psyche, weaving a small-town feud into a broader narrative that includes nationwide events like the death of George Floyd and both right-wing and left-wing divisions.
As expected, “Eddington” proved divisive in Cannes.
Some critics called it a surprisingly accurate portrait of contemporary America, while others dismissed it as a tiring and unconvincing meditation.
After a less-than-enthusiastic round of applause, Aster himself appeared proud of what he had created.
“I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what you all think,” he said with a smile.
Today, Aster and his cast faced reporters at a press conference that inevitably focused on how much the filmmakers saw “Eddington” as a reflection of current times.
“I wrote this film in a state of fear and anxiety about the world and wanted to try to show what it feels like to live in a world where no one can agree on what is real,” Aster said.
“In the last 20 years, we’ve fallen into this age of hyper-individualism. We’re on a dangerous path, and I feel like we’re living through an experiment that’s gone wrong,” he added.
“I think people feel very powerless and very scared,” he said.
